“The announcement that MidAmerican Energy Company will install more than another thousand megawatts of wind power is great news.”
Read our statement from IPP Executive Director David Osterberg. 5/8/13
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Opponents of expanding renewable energy often claim that new, safe and clean electricity is all very nice but it just costs too much. Let’s look at the data.
Read our policy snapshot. 3/18/13
Hear IPP's David Osterberg discuss this issue with KVFD's Mike Devine on "The Devine Intervention" 3/20/13
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For the past 35 years many beverages sold in the state of Iowa have included a container deposit of 5 cents to encourage recycling of glass, specific plastic and cans. More containers would be covered under legislation that still might be considered in the 2013 session of the General Assembly.
Read IPP Backgrounder. 5/2/13
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There are three principal problems with the Governor’s proposed Nutrient Reduction Strategy, and they can be summed up in three words: Talk is cheap.
Read David Osterberg's statement on Iowa Policy Points 11/20/12
In remarks to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, IPP's David Osterberg explains why federal oversight is essential to monitor water-quality efforts by Iowa's Department of Natural Resources.
Read our letter to EPA or download 2-page PDF 10/18/12
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Simple ideas and common sense translated into big energy savings for residents of Readlyn and Fairbank as the two Northeast Iowa towns’ energy-reduction efforts earned their school a new solar system.
“As we said all along, this isn’t just an academic exercise, and the efforts in these communities can show other communities how it’s done.”
— IPP's David Osterberg
Read news release online or as a two-page PDF. 2/6/13
Former UI and NFL star Tim Dwight and other renewable energy advocates participated during the two days. Click here for details.
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Kickoff news release for 2012 competition.
Read the news release or download 12-page PDF 2/8/12
Visit the Get Energized Iowa! website
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A little friendly competition can prove to be useful in getting Iowans to save energy.
Read report or download 8-page PDF 6/2/11
Read news release or Will Hoyer's Iowa Policy Points post
"There’s another side of the expensive energy equation: Using less. Changing your behavior, even without greatly compromising your lifestyle." — The Gazette, Cedar Rapids — Sunday, June 5, editorial
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Iowa lawmakers took few strides in 2012 toward catching up on long-missed funding commitments to priority Iowa issues, including water quality.
Read Water Quality backgrounder 6/26/12
Read news release
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Iowa lawmakers are $5 million behind water-quality funding trends of the last decade, despite greater needs for water protection and public willingness to fund it.
Read our report or download 9-page PDF 3/1/12
Read our news release
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There has been no shortage of ideas for how Iowa can deal with the reality of climate change through public policy that could relieve flooding issues that cause damage not only due to water quantity, but water quality as well. There has, however, been a shortage of action.
Read our report or download 10-page PDF 5/21/12
Read our news release or download 2-page PDF
See also Will Hoyer's blog post on Iowa Policy Points
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Wetlands provide an important anti-pollution role in Iowa's environment, and benefit wildlife habitat as well, but well-intentioned wetland restorations do not always produce the best results.
Read our report 24-page PDF 5/10/12
Read our executive summary 2-page PDF
Read our news release
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Lots of money and Iowa water quality are at stake in a new initiative from the state. It needs time to work.
Read report or download 15-page PDF 6/22/11
Read executive summary or download 2-page PDF
Read news release or Will Hoyer's blog post on Iowa Policy Points
"This initiative shows promise to benefit both farmers and water quality. But until we see the numbers in a few years we need to withhold judgment." — Will Hoyer, IPP Research Associate
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Former Iowa and NFL star Tim Dwight joined local solar industry leaders and advocates for a four-city tour to show how Iowans already are capitalizing on solar power.
Read news release or download (2-page PDF) 3/25/11
Iowa could create thousands of new jobs and economic benefits with solar power.
Report (18-page PDF) Revised 3/10/11
Read news release or download (2-page PDF)
"This is the right time for Iowa to strike. Everyone is looking for a way to create jobs, and the solar industry is a good investment here in Iowa." — Solar developer and former NFL star Tim Dwight
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Farm practices are the central source of applied pollutants in Iowa waterways, and policy measures need to focus on agriculture, Iowa researchers say.
Report (9-page PDF) 9/27/10
Read news release or download (2-page PDF)
"It is not an urban issue. It is an agricultural issue, period." — IPP Executive Director David Osterberg
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At the same time the federal economic recovery package is boosting income and the number of jobs for Iowa workers, it is improving energy-savings opportunities for Iowa families who cannot otherwise afford them.
Full Report, PDF (7 pages) 5/20/10
News Release, HTML or PDF (2 pages)
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One of the best ways to reduce Iowa's energy consumption is to make energy efficiency improvements to homes — a solution that unfortunately is unaffordable for most low-income Iowa families, who often live in energy-inefficient housing and struggle with high energy bills.
Full Report, PDF (12 pages) 5/6/10
Executive Summary, HTML or PDF (2 pages)
News Release, PDF (2 pages)
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Initiatives to address water quality problems need to be backed by enforceable and sufficiently strong requirements that limit pollution, Iowa State University researchers say.
Full Report (PDF, 16 pg) 1/13/09
Executive Summary (PDF, 2 pg)
News Release (HTML)
Teresa Galluzzo's blog post "Move Now to Improve Iowa's Lousy Water Quality"
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State policy has left Iowa waterways open to contamination by bacteria resulting from phosphorus and other nutrients in runoff from both farm fields and urban sources.
Full Report (PDF, 13 pg) 12/17/09
Executive Summary (PDF, 4 pg)
News Release (PDF, 2 pg)
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Leaders and citizens from around the world are meeting in Denmark this week and next to discuss climate change. Climate policies must protect all citizens and Iowa can provide some good examples for how to address climate change.
Backgrounder (PDF, 2 pg) 12/8/09
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Sweet smells may mask potential hazards delivered from cologne, perfume or shampoo washed down the drain. These organic wastewater contaminants are ignored by environmental regulation that has not kept pace with industry's drive to promote personal products.
Full Report (PDF, 15 pg) 12/1/09
Executive Summary (PDF, 4 pg)
News Release (PDF, 2 pg)
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Iowa energy policy analysts say a thorough review by the Iowa Utilities Board is needed in its upcoming inquiry to determine impacts of the climate change legislation in Congress.
News release (PDF, 2 pg) 7/16/09
IUB Notice of Inquiry (PDF, 10 pg)
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Cap-and-trade policy being crafted in Congress to respond to global climate change does include features to protect households budgets. Good policy will assure direct relief to low-income households and not rely on utilities to deliver the benefits.
Backgrounder (PDF, 2 pg) 6/25/09
News release (PDF, 2 pg) Consumers deserve a more accurate and more complete discussion of the elements of the legislation on the table than they're getting from utility executives. Independent analysts at the Congressional Budget Office and Environmental Protection Agency illustrate how relief provisions can help consumers.
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Electricity rates can be better structured to encourage conservation while at the same time help low-income Iowans more easily afford their home energy bills.
Full report (PDF, 8 pg) 6/17/09
Executive summary (PDF, 3 pg)
News release (PDF, 2 pg) HTML
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Iowa stands to gain about $170 million in energy-related funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with big boosts for weatherization and other energy-efficiency strategies. How best to use it?
Full report (PDF, 11 pg) Revised 5/21/09
Executive summary (PDF, 2 pg) Revised
News release (PDF)
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Right before Iowans’ eyes, green-power generation already has reached levels only dreamed about 10 years ago, thanks to the growing use of wind power. Estimates by the Iowa Utilities Board now indicate wind fuels about 15 percent of the electricity generated in Iowa — up from the 5 percent level estimated in 2006. Full Report (4 pg). (PDF) News Release. (PDF) 4/13/09
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Iowa’s water quality has the spotlight and nine winners have the honors in an essay and photo contest sponsored by the IPP. News release (PDF) and Winning entries (PDF). 1/22/09
FIRST-PLACE WINNERS:
• John Pearson, Indianola, long essay
• Dr. Steve Rose, Indianola, short essay/poetry
• Stacy Schlader, Lancaster, Mo., photo from Story County
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Iowa can get on a path toward cleaner water by making changes to the current permit process for concentrated animal feeding operations. Report and news release. 11/19/08
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Too often in the past, natural resources funding has lost out to state budget cuts or has been raided to pay for other public programs. Any sustainable funding source to correct this problem should also be fair to all Iowa taxpayers How can this be designed? Backgrounder. 11/12/08
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 IPP's David Osterberg discussed climate-change policy on Iowa Public Television's "Iowa Journal" program. |
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Public policy has made a difference in the growing development of renewable energy. IPP's David Osterberg explains why in this short documentary by the University of Iowa's Soheil Rezayazdi.
Iowa falls short on its energy efficiency goals, and its potential. Full report, executive summary and news release
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| Energy and environment reports published from 2001 to 2006 were made possible, in part, with generous support from The Joyce Foundation. Newer reports were supported in part by The McKnight Foundation. |
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| July 16, 2008 |
Saving money on energy means more is available for other things — and that’s a boost to the Iowa economy. When the state is in a rebuilding mode, are business leaders and policy makers paying attention? Report and news release.
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| March 19, 2008 |
Iowa's long tradition of energy efficiency is a significant accomplishment. However, Iowa is not meeting some of its stated efficiency goals, nor its potential to be the national leader in energy efficiency. Read the full report, executive summary and news release.
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| March 17, 2008 |
This St. Patrick's Day is a great time to think about one of Iowa's landmark "green" laws. Let's raise a beverage container of our choice to celebrate our Bottle Bill's 30th Birthday. Read the backgrounder for recommended improvements to our beverage container act.
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| Jan. 23, 2008 |
State policies to combat climate change must assure fair treatment of low-income families so that they don't bear a disproportionate share of the cost of reducing carbon emissions.
"This is a time for innovation, not just in ways to cope with climate change, but in finding ways to help Iowa's low-income families cope with our solutions," says IPP's David Osterberg. Read the full report, two-page executive summary and news release.
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| Nov. 27, 2007 |
| Iowa is underfunding efforts to improve water quality and reduce soil erosion, at the same time it is staking these environmental and economic priorities on gambling revenues. Read the press release, executive summary or full report. |
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| October 18, 2007 |
| A new study examining local impacts of increasing hog confinement operations across Iowa raises questions about their local development benefits. "In certain parts of Iowa, the lost opportunities may have been substantial," said Jan Flora, lead author of the new report. Read the Press Release, Executive Summary and Full Report.
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| August 9, 2007 |
| Stormwater management in Iowa needs a fresh focus on water quality, not just coping with the volume running off our streets, rooftops and landscaped lawns, according to a new report. Read the Press Release, Backgrounder and Full Report. |
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| April 10, 2007 |
| The 2007 legislative session has before it many proposals to help Iowa achieve energy independence. One area where Iowa has particular potential is that more of our schools could become producers of renewable energy and employ energy efficiency measures. Read the Backgrounder. |
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| April 10, 2007 |
| Iowans' interest in purchasing food grown closer to home has recently increased. To continue the growth of local food systems, Iowa's leaders need to be progressive in implementing polices that encourage their development. In particular, efforts could be expanded in Iowa's schools. Read the Backgrounder. |
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| February 6, 2007 |
| There is enormous potential for food to be grown, processed and consumed in Iowa. This report presents several ways policy makers could benefit Iowans by encouraging local food systems. Read the Press Release, Executive Summary and Full Report. |
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| December 13, 2006 |
| The state's natural resources have not been treated as a vital part of the budget and there has not been adequate funding to meet Iowa's environmental challenges. Read the Press Release, Executive Summary and Full Report. |
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| April 19, 2006 |
| Many unregulated compounds, such as prescription drugs, hormones, cosmetics, dyes, preservatives, and detergents, are present in Iowa's water and may cause detrimental effects to humans and wildlife. Read the Press Release, Executive Summary, and Full Report. |
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| March 7, 2006 |
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| Ten Iowa schools have installed wind turbines so they can spend less on electricity bills and more on students. They have also reduced their environmental impact and are providing their students with the opportunity to learn about the fastest growing energy source in the world. Read the Full Report and Press Release and view a Map of the Schools. |
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| October 7, 2005 |
| Ecological wastewater treatment technologies can address water pollution and be more affordable than conventional approaches for communities without sewer systems and for communities that need additional treatment. Read the Press Release, Executive Summary and Full Report. |
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| April 14, 2005 |
| Small-scale, locally owned wind power projects allow the state, our communities and landowners to reap the greatest benefits. Read the Full Report and Press Release. |
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| April 6, 2005 |
| Large-scale animal livestock confinement operations generate costs that must be addressed through public policies to protect producers, consumers and the environment. Read the Press Release, Executive Summary and Full Report. |
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| March 22, 2005 |
| A property tax credit is available to nonresident landowners who don’t pay Iowa taxes and are not actively involved in farming. Iowa lawmakers should consider proposals to tighten the tax credit and free dollars for conservation education. Read the Full Report. |
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| September 20, 2004 |
| Iowa's Clean Water State Revolving Fund program has the flexibility and financial resources to improve Iowa's water quality. Read the Executive Summary and Full Report. |
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| April 1, 2004 |
| How did funding for Iowa's natural resources fare in comparison to Minnesota's and Missouri's during the 2001 national recession? Read the Full Report. |
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| May 9, 2003 |
| What could tip the scales for someone choosing a job in Iowa or another state? This report suggests that it may be a bike trail or clear streams. Read the Full Report. |
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The Green Bike Tour |
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Visit the The Green Bike Tour website, an Iowa Policy Project-sponsored event to bring attention to sustainable energy in Iowa.
View the I.C. Gazette cartoon by Joe Sharpnack.
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